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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427079">Cure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fourtimesaroundthesun/pseuds/fourtimesaroundthesun'>fourtimesaroundthesun</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band), SM Rookies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abrupt Ending, Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Short, character and relationship study disguised as a story, predebut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:27:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>732</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427079</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fourtimesaroundthesun/pseuds/fourtimesaroundthesun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Taeyong reflects on his relationship with Dongyoung.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Taeyong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title inspired by "Cure" by Taeyong and Yoo Young Jin. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fila4yLICUE">mv</a> | <a href="https://colorcodedlyrics.com/2017/08/yoo-youngjin-amp-taeyong-nct-cure-hamgge">lyrics</a></p><p>I was thinking about how Taeyong has always used Doyoung for his compositions and came up with this piece.  It's a short and sweet character and relationship study, and I hope you enjoy!</p><p>Not beta'd, all mistakes are my own.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taeyong’s not sure what to think of the new trainee, Kim Dongyoung, from Guri.</p><p>He’s reedy, with a penchant for baggy clothes that only serve to emphasize how thin he is.  He also has intelligent eyes that dart around the room, observant of his surroundings.  His eyes settle on Taeyong, and Taeyong feels <i>exposed</i>, as if this new trainee can see through him.  Taeyong looks away first.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Taeyong is sitting in a practice room when he hears Dongyoung sing for the first time.  Taeyong is scribbling lyric ideas in a notebook when he hears a clear, airy voice singing a ballad with such sorrow that he feels like he might start tearing up.  It’s not a voice he’s heard before at SM, so he’s only half-surprised when he looks up and sees Dongyoung.  It’s a beautiful voice that people could write poems about, Taeyong thinks.  If he wasn’t already a songwriter, Taeyong thinks he would start writing songs just to hear Dongyoung sing them.<div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Taeyong has always had trouble making friends.  It’s not that he doesn’t want to be friends with people, but it seems like people are always intimidated by him or Taeyong is too shy to approach them.  Taeyong’s always been a little <i>different</i>, too, which compounds the situation.  As in wearing a leather beret and leather jacket during kindergarten different.  He’s always had a sense that he was out of place, the deep melancholy he experiences and the way his head is always in the clouds not comprehensible by other people.  More than anything, Taeyong yearns to be understood.<div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>When Taeyong speaks to Dongyoung for the first time, he is struck by how thoughtful, intentional, and articulate Dongyoung is.  Dongyoung is asking basic questions—about his family, about what Taeyong’s favorite performance aspects are to train, about advice Taeyong has about dance, as Taeyong has developed a reputation for being skilled at dancing.  Dongyoung listens so carefully, with his whole attention fixed on Taeyong, and it’s a nice feeling.  Taeyong feels listened to and heard in a way that he’s not sure he has before.<div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The two of them grow closer.  Dongyoung is so steadfast and reliable, not afraid to sternly reprimand Taeyong that he’s overdoing it, but also taking care of Taeyong in small but meaningful gestures, like buying him coffee when they have a stressful evaluation day coming up, even though Dongyoung doesn’t drink coffee.  They perform in SM Rookies together, and when they stand on stage for the first time, Taeyong is so <i>proud</i> of how much Dongyoung has grown.<p>Dongyoung does end up singing Taeyong’s songs, from Piece of Mind to Switch Off to Yestoday.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Eventually, they get the news that they will be debuting together as NCT U with The Seventh Sense.  Their days are filled with practices learning the choreography, and Taeyong feels a sense of pride as Dongyoung has tamed his flailing limbs into an elegant, controlled style of dancing all his own.  It’s exhausting, though, and it’s on one of these days that he talks to Dongyoung about their debut.<p>“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Dongyoung says reverently.  “You know all I have ever wanted to do is sing.  I even dropped out of high school to pursue this dream.  It means so much to me that my dream is coming true.”  Taeyong nods.  He understands, he feels the same way about performing.</p><p>“I’m afraid, too, though,” Dongyoung adds, almost like an afterthought.  “I feel like in this entertainment industry, you have to flatten yourself to fit in the confines of the image the company wants you to project, you know?  Being an idol also limits the choices we can make.  We’re not given the luxury to make mistakes.  I just hope that I can stay myself.”</p><p>“I promise I’ll make sure you stay yourself,” Taeyong says solemnly.  Dongyoung hums in acknowledgement.</p><p>It’s such a noble, insightful thought, Taeyong thinks, so fitting for his smart Dongyoung.  And Taeyong isn’t sure why it’s today, sweaty and exhausted in the dance studio after a serious conversation, that he realizes that he’s in love with his best friend.  The realization washes upon him slowly, like the waves lapping at his feet on the beach, and just like when he hears Dongyoung sing for the first time, he’s not nearly as surprised as perhaps he should be.</p><p>Maybe he’ll tell Dongyoung one day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!  Comments and kudos are very much appreciated :)</p><p>  <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/4xaroundthesun">cc</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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